Castro happy with rescue of former Colombian presidential candidate
11:51, July 05, 2008
Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro said Friday that he was happy with the rescue of former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and other hostages held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
“For elemental feelings toward the humanity, we are happy with the news,” Castro told the local press.
“Civilians never should have been kidnapped, nor kept as hostages in the conditions of the jungle,” Castro said, adding that the rescue opened a new chapter of peace process in Colombia that Cuba has supported for more than 20 years.
Betancourt was rescued Wednesday by Colombian army with U.S. citizens Thomas Howes, Marc Gonsalves and Keith Stansall and 11 Colombian soldiers in the country’s southeastern jungle province of Guaviare.
